Legacy
by XJaxX
Summary: Laura Fielding is just your average kid right? Then why on earth is HG Wells stalking her? And what does it have to do with Clark Kent and Lois Lane starting their own family?
1. Laura Fielding

**I apologise in advance, this will not likely get updated very often or very regularly, but it will be continued. I'm afaid I only just finished writing the first chapter and couldn't wait to see readers' reactions.**

**This is set after the end of season 4, with the exception of Clark and Lois discovering little Kent Junior in the season finale. You'll soon see why. (And I thought it was a silly way to introduce a baby into the show! If only they'd made season 5! cries)**

* * *

People seemed to think life was dangerous in a place like in Edge City. Laura couldn't understand it. Of course, they didn't have any superheroes flying around to save the day like they did in Metropolis, but she could honestly say she had never felt threatened on her home turf. Sure the crime rate could be better, and the city streets could have been cleaner, but living on the edge of suburbia, Laura Fielding had always been partially protected from the grimmer face of city life. 

In her brief sixteen years of life, never once had Laura desired to be anywhere but her family home on the Greys Common estate. That is until she discovered journalism.

Of course even then, Laura had been content to stay in the city, if it were not for the fact that _everyone_ knew the greatest newspaper on the whole planet was in fact the _Daily Planet_.

At first Laura's teachers had been sceptical at such a dream. Few ever made it into the ranks of the _Daily Planet's_ elite, but Laura ploughed on with her studies none the less. With time and determination, a flare for writing soon appeared in her work, and her articles where a common sight in the High School's student newspaper.

The only regret Laura ever had in her journalistic endeavours was the unintentional discovery of her own adoption. She never mentioned it to her parents, it seemed pointless. She knew her parents loved her and it explained why she had never had any siblings.

It was Laura's only secret, and no one had ever suspected that both blonde haired mother and daughter weren't biologically related. The only colouration that Laura didn't seem to share with her parents was her green eyes of such a deep colour that most mistook them at first glance for brown, like her father's.

If she could just secure that apprenticeship at the _Daily Planet_, Laura would have quite honestly said her life was perfect.

It wasn't until a fellow by the name of H. G. Wells showed up that her life was turned upside down.

* * *

Clark was stunned. He was beyond speechless. It was simply impossible. They said it would never happen – that it _couldn't _happen. They simply weren't compatible. 

And yet there it was, the clear blue line staring at him straight in the face.

No amount of super vision could make the fact any clearer, and yet he still couldn't believe it.

"Now do you believe me, or do want me take yet _another_ test?" Lois growled from the toilet seat.

Still stunned Clark silently shook his head and placed the little test kit on the counter. Lois gave a sigh and walked over to her husband.

She draped an arm over his broad shoulders and whispered into his ear, "I'm pregnant."

As though finally waking up, a grin lit up his face and Clark answered, "You're pregnant…"

Lois kissed the side of his mouth and leaned towards his ear again, "You're going to be a daddy…"

Clark swept Lois up into his arms and spun around a few inches off the ground. Still beaming he gave Lois a lingering kiss and replied, "I'm going to be a daddy!"

* * *

Laura often made trips on her own into the main centre of the city, constantly trying to make contacts within the journalism industry. Even with several recommendations behind her back, very few were willing to pay attention to someone so eager and yet so young. But even still she enjoyed the city. It seemed to have its own rhythm and everywhere you turned something was always happening. It was full of life. But that didn't necessarily mean anyone was particularly polite either. 

The poor man was obviously quite deranged, walking around with his bowler hat and wearing what appeared to English clothing from the Edwardian period. Of course no one was going to listen to him!

"Excuse, I was wondering if you could help me find…" Another solid body collided with the man and ignored his stammer. Laura tried to ignore the man but it was very difficult as the man was quite clearly in very loose touch with reality.

The man continued his timid attempts to gain a sympathetic soul's attention. He followed an individual for a few steps before being flattened by another pedestrian.

"She should be here… I checked my archives quite clearly!" The man squeaked before his hat was unceremoniously blown off his head.

Laura watched as the little man chased after said article, completely oblivious to his surroundings. So oblivious in fact that the man did not even seem to realise his hat had landed right in the path of on coming traffic. He fumbled for a moment then froze at the sound of the truck's horn.

Laura didn't even take a moment to think. She dashed out to the man and tackled him so hard that both man and girl were hurled to the other side of the street.

Gasping, Laura looked over her shoulder to see the hat was still in the road, but now no more than a flattened disc.

"Hey old man, we've got real vehicles here in the twenty-first century!" Laura huffed in aggravation, "Try to keep your eyes open…"

"Yes, quite…" The man muttered in a crisp English accent. Laura was hard pushed not roll her eyes at him.

She helped pull him up and grabbed what was left of the flattened bowler. He took the proffered hat and gave a resigned sigh at the impromptu alteration to his apparel.

"So sorry about that, always feel a bit out of sorts in this time… A thousand thanks for your assistance miss, I am in your debt," the man stuttered with a little bow.

"Yeah, sure…" Laura half heartedly replied and turned to leave.

"Might I trouble you with a small favour?" The man called after her.

Damn, if only she had been a little quicker. She wasn't quite far enough away to pretend she hadn't heard the man, and she couldn't in good conscience leave him to his own devices. She turned back to him with a grim look and waited for his request.

"I was wondering if you might know the whereabouts of a girl about your age living somewhere near the city. She should go by the name of Laura Fielding. Do you know her at all?" The man asked in his excitable way.

Laura arched a sceptical eyebrow and tried not to reveal her shock.

"Maybe. Why should I tell you?" Laura replied.

"Well you see," The man said with a twinkle in his eyes, "I am H. G. Wells…"

"Yeah, sure," Laura sniggered, "and I'm Superman."

* * *

**Well that's chapter 1 over. You interested yet?**

**All comments appreciated, though I warn you, positive responses will likely result in the posting of other Lois&Clark fanfic ideas that have yet to be completed... just so you know.**

**_XJaxX_**


	2. Stalker

**That has got to be the quickest I've updated anything in my life. I can't garrantee this will be regular though, but thank you to those of you who have already given me lovely reviews. I really do appreciate the kind comments, makes it all worth while :)**

**Anyway, on with chapter 2!**

* * *

Laura thanked her lucky stars that she was quick on her feet. Ditching the loon of a man had not been as simple as she thought. After storming off in agitation, the man had proceeded to follow her down the street calling after her. At this point, Laura had as much as announced with a neon sign that she was in fact the girl this lunatic was looking for. Not only was she the girl of his desperate search, but he also claimed to have vital information for her.

The gall of it!

Laura berated herself for having not just walked away when she had the chance. The clothes should have been the first clue, but really! Did the man actually think he was H.G. Wells?

Fortunately some fancy foot work down town had the idiot drowning in the migrating masses of commuters with Laura no where in sight.

She returned home with a sigh of relief and her prize clutched in her hand. Well, not so much a prize, but the potential of her prize. An application form for a competition the likes of which the world had never seen before; and Laura's ticket to her dreams!

_DAILY PLANET GRAND PRIZE!_

_Be the envy of journalists throughout the world! Only one lucky winner can win the experience of the century! 3 months apprenticeship at the great metropolitan newspaper The Daily Planet!_

One chance and Laura could shave years off of reaching her goal. But now she had less than eight weeks to come out with a prize winning editorial. Where on earth was she going to find a story in time that could compete with thousands of other entries from across the country?

If only that nutcase earlier really _had_ been H.G. Wells. That really would have been the article of the century.

Maybe she could to do an exposé on the intentional encouragement of socially selective hierarchy to maintain structure within High Schools. No, that was far too cliché. Perhaps she could look into the extended hose pipe ban despite the level and consistency of rainfall being safely within the limits of the threats of drought for the past two Summers.

"Who am I kidding? They'll fall asleep in their coffee before then even get past the header!" Laura groaned and promptly slumped across her desk in defeat.

"Oh Miss Fielding…you should have more faith in yourself, my dear…"

Laura spun round in astonishment.

* * *

"Clark! Would you let go of me for _five minutes!_" Lois yelled in exasperation. But the beaming man behind her kept his arms securely wrapped around his wife's abdomen with his grinning face resting on her shoulder.

"Say it again," He pleaded.

"Oh for God's sake Clark! I've missed my period. I haven't kept my breakfast down in _days!_ _You_ won't stop telling me how much I'm _glowing_," She rolled her eyes, "and my doctor should be calling me back any minute now to confirm what the home pregnancy test already told me! So unless you've omitted some vital information on the effect _hunky_ kryptonian men have on us _pitiful_ earth women who fall for them…"

"Why do I get the feeling no amount of super powers are going to absolve me of the crimes I've commit against you for the next nine months?" Clark replied sardonically.

"It's not me you have to worry about. What do you think Perry will do to you once he finds out what you've done to me?" Lois warned.

"I would have thought Perry would have been thrilled. Sure we'll have different priorities once the baby's here but it doesn't stop us from being good reporters," Clark considered.

"Think about it Clark. If I'm pregnant now, that would make my due date in the middle of….?" Lois tried to emphasize to her husband.

"… the middle of that promotional apprenticeship… Perry's going to kill me! Our child fatherless!" Clark mocked cried and grasped Lois in despair.

Lois rolled her eyes again but was lost almost immediately in the depths of his puppy dog eyes. It was so infuriating. The raging sea of hormonal imbalance had only _increased_ the effect that look had on her.

"Look, let's just keep this to ourselves until Dr Stepson has confirmed my test results. Perry doesn't have to know a thing. But you need to tone down the foetal worshipping! We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves." Lois hissed as they entered the bullpen.

"Hey Lois, there's a call for you on line one from a Dr Stepson. Shall I tell her to call you back?" Jimmy innocently called from across the bullpen.

Lois practically sprinted across the room and growled, "GIMME!"

Clark grinned to himself and waited for Lois to finish frantically nodding into the phone. Once she hung up Clark pulled her back into his arms.

"It's an affirmative. Everything seems fine and I'm booked for an ultrasound in a few weeks…" Lois whispered quite astonished.

Clark bent forward to whisper something in reply but was interrupted by the bellowing of their Editor-in-Chief ordering them into his office.

Leading Lois towards Perry's office he leant over to her ear and said, "Did you know in a couple of weeks I'll be able to hear its heartbeat?"

Lois groaned and stormed ahead of him into Perry's office.

* * *

"What the heck are you doing in my room, old man?" Laura screamed, "_How_ did you get in my room? What are you even doing in my house?"

The man known as H.G. Wells bobbed his head guiltily.

"I do apologise my dear, but I'm afraid desperate times call for desperate measures."

"If you're not gone in five seconds I'm calling the police… _and _finding my dad's baseball bat!" Laura growled.

"Now, now! I assure you there'll be no need for that!" The little man quivered, "I promise I'm not here to hurt you. In fact my presence here is of the utmost urgency and imperative to your existence!"

Laura looked at him utterly perplexed. Something strange was going on here, but she couldn't figure out where the cameras were hidden or when her friends were going to jump and shout, "Surprise! Fooled ya!"

Because, of course this man _could not_ be H.G. Wells.

"Look old man, a joke's a joke, but you're really freaking me out now. So if you just leave without any fuss I won't have to get the cops involved," Laura offered.

She marched across the room and opened the door wide for him to leave by. The man unfortunately remained timidly in his spot by the window, trying to look determined with little success.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You will need my help very soon and I'm certain you must have a lot of questions…" Wells replied.

"I've asked three questions already! None of which you've actually answered. Not let me assure _you_, I have no questions whatsoever that I wish to ask you, and I am in no need of any assistance from the mentally deranged!" Laura said and emphasised her point by directing her arm towards the open door.

The man reluctantly walked across the room and was about to cross the threshold when he turned to face Laura again and said, "Didn't you ever wonder where you came from? Surely you've been curious about who your biological parents were?"

* * *

**Yes, I'm leaving poor Laura in a state of aperplexy. Did I mention I love driving my characters nuts?**

**Hope you enjoyed chapter 2!**

**_XJaxX_**


	3. Exposure

**Okay, I know I said this wouldn't get updated very often, well obviously my over active brain was not listening. But this probably will be the last update for this week. I really should be finishing my assignments, but I just can't help myself...**

**Thank you again to those reviewing, it really does help the words come, knowing there are people interested in what I have to write :D**

* * *

Laura seemed to be having extreme trouble getting air into her lungs. The blood was pumping furiously around her brain and she thought she might actually for the first time in her life faint. 

"I know who my parents are. What business is it of yours?" Laura hissed.

"No my dear, your _biological_ parents," Wells said very plainly, "The parents you were born to before your adoption."

Laura's eyes widened and she gasped at the shock of it.

"How did you know I was adopted?" She demanded, "I've never told _anyone_ about that!"

The man was about to reply when both Wells and Laura jumped at the sound of wood snapping. Laura looked down at her hand in alarm.

The hand in which she held the door handle had bent the metal clean off and left a splintered mess in the side of the door. She dropped the handle and leapt back in horror.

"I-I… I didn't mean to do that. That's not… not p-possible…" Laura whimpered nauseously.

Wells slowly bent down to pick up the distended door knob and gently placed in Laura's shaking hands. He placed his own hands over hers and smiled up at her kindly.

"That, child, is why you need my help."

* * *

Despite Lois and Clark's best efforts, news of a Kent Junior on the way did not stay secret for long. Clark had had only a few days reprieve before Perry heard news of Lois' pregnancy. Because of course, Perry White wasn't Editor-in-Chief of _The_ _Daily Planet_ because he can yodel.

"Kent!"

"Yes Chief?" Clark stuttered, feeling far too vulnerable, alone in Perry's office.

"What exactly have you done to my star reporter?" Perry growled in his southern drawl.

"Exactly, Chief?" Clark cringed.

The Editor-in-Chief gave Clark a stern eye from a across his desk and nodded.

"Well, you see, Lois and I started trying for a baby about six months ago Chief… and as nothing came of it…"

Perry gave him a withering glare.

"But of course you already know about that. So the thing is it was as much a surprise for me as it was for you Chief. I know it's not exactly the best of timing-"

"_Best of timing!_ Kent, you just made my most seasoned investigative reporter a liability for the next nine months! I need both of you on top form for that promotional internship or the suits upstairs will have my neck! Let alone the stories lined up for you already. Do you hear what I'm saying Kent?" Perry bellowed.

Clark was ready to respond but had little chance to as his wife burst into the office to glare at the Chief.

"Give it a rest Perry! If you break my husband, I'm not going to have anyone left to massage my swollen ankles." Lois warned in her mile-a-minute manner.

"Honey, you don't even have swollen ankles," Perry argued.

"No yet!" Lois countered.

"Not to mention," Perry said, turning his attention back to Clark, "She's gonna be hell for the next nine months… You make sure you look after her right, son."

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid!" Lois groaned, "Look Perry, I assure you, Clark and I have this baby situation in hand. I can still right a story. I can still walk on my two legs. I'll still be around for at least the first half of the internship, and Clark will be fine with Ralph for any time that I'm not available."

"Not available? Honey, I know you can handle pretty much anything, but this is a baby we're talking about. Have you thought about maternity leave?"

"I'm not going on maternity leave." Lois said.

"What?" Clark and Perry shouted in unison.

Perry turned to Clark, "You see what I mean? Worse than ever!"

* * *

Laura gulped the glass of water down greedily. Her head was literally swimming, and H.G. Wells was _still_ in her bedroom.

She sat on her bed staring at him from across the room and desperately tried to understand what was going on.

"How did I do that?" She finally gasped.

"It was due to you experiencing an excessive amount of stress. Your strength will have a tendency to manifest under such circumstances." Wells replied as though it were as common as day.

"No, I mean, how was I actually _capable_ of doing that?" Laura said in exasperation, "Yesterday I could barely help my dad move the furniture and today I'm twisting metal with my bare hands. _My bare hands!_"

The shock shined acutely from Laura's eyes and Wells felt his heart clench in sympathy for her. After a moment though, a look of confusion came over the man's face.

"Has such a thing never transpired before then?" Wells asked uncertainly.

Laura raised her head and looked at him in disbelief.

"No, of course not! Do I look like I've ripped door handles off before?" She yelled.

"Oh my, this _does_ present a problem…" Wells muttered, "So you haven't ever experience a single one of your super powers until today?"

"Super powers? Are you crazy?" Laura replied and then berated herself because quite clearly they were both insane.

"Yes, super powers. You see you have in fact inherited super powers, and under the light of a yellow sun you able to perform the most amazing of feats!" Wells explained.

"That's ridiculous, for that to be possible I'd have to be kryptonian, or…"

"Or descended from one?" Wells offered with a small smile.

"Again, that's impossible. The first kryptonian to ever show up on Earth was Superman five years ago. I'm almost seventeen, the maths just doesn't add up." Laura concluded.

"It would," Wells continued, "if one was in possession of a time machine…"

To this Laura choked with laughter. A time machine! Yes, of course, the man really was playing his part well. She turned away and shook her head in disbelief.

"My dear, when you discovered your own adoption, you yourself were unable to gather any information of the parents you were born to. No information pertaining to where you were born, where you lived or whom arranged your adoption to Lillian and Brian Fielding," Wells went on to explain.

"I thought they weren't allowed to keep those kinds of records…" Laura whispered.

"Ah, yes well. That kind of information is supposed to never leave the hands of the agency dealing with the adoption. But you tried to access that information anyway, didn't you my dear?" Wells whispered conspiratorially.

"I couldn't find anything. There were no records." Laura recalled in alarm, "How do you know all of this?"

Wells sighed and met Laura's eyes carefully.

"I know all of this because I was the one who organised your adoption."

* * *

**So chapter 3 over already I'm afraid. What is the mystery behind Laura's parentage? Only Wells can answer that one I'm afraid...**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**_XJaxX_**


	4. Frustration

**Yes! I have returned! Faster then a J.K. Rowling, but significantly slower than a bullet :( I'm afraid I got a bit carried away with this chapter, so it doesn't focus as much on Laura as I originally intended to. Anyway, thank you again people for the lovely reviews. Of course the more the merrier, and the more likely I am to remember to update ;)**

**But yes, the real reason you still here, Chapter 4!**

* * *

"Could you run that by me again?" Laura said. 

"I was the one who brought you here when you were not longer safe in your old home. It was perhaps the hardest thing that I have ever had to do, but it was necessary. It wasn't until I did such a deed that I realised how fundamental your survival and relocation was to the creation of Utopia."

Laura's look incredulity remained as the man's brought nothing but more confusion.

"Utopia? As in the perfect society? Look, as great as that would be, it's impossible, and has nothing to do with my adoption!" Laura countered.

"Ah! But you see it has _everything _to do with your adoption. I am what you might call a very close friend of your family – your biological family – and in the light of such a crisis as yours, the assistance of myself and my time machine were needed."

Finally Laura had reached her limit. She'd tried so hard to forget about the knowledge of her adoption and this lunatic was rubbing it in her face relentlessly. She needed to get him out of the house and quickly. If her parents came home, she couldn't bear the thought of how much this would upset her mother, or enrage her father.

"I've heard enough. You're not H.G. Wells. Utopia is impossible. And time machines do _not_ exist! Now get out of my home!" Laura growled, having marched within an inch of Wells' passive face.

"What if I prove it to you? Then I can show you my problem." Wells offered kindly.

He could understand the girl's reluctance, especially if she had never experience any of her awesome gifts before, but it was imperative that she listened to his story.

"Say what? Prove it?"

"Yes, I'll show you my time machine. It would be best if we could go outside though."

Laura snorted, "What, you got a Delorian parked out front?"

"No actually, it's in my pocket, but here is not an ideal space for what I have in mind."

* * *

The office was shrouded in shadows. Even the desk lamp made a pitiful attempt at illumination in the dimness. A lone figure was seated casually behind a desk with the hand set of a phone placed demurely to the side of his head. The sharp gleam in his eyes belied his self-effacing visage. 

"Are you sure this line is secure?" An apprehensive voice from the ear piece whispered.

The man leaned back in his chair and answered in a drawling English accent, "Of course, but I assure you, I'm the only one you should be worried about if you do not have the results you promised me…"

He only just heard the harsh intake of breath from the other end of the line, but grinned to himself in pleasure none the less.

"You have to understand, I'm in an awkward position here. If anybody asks what I'm doing…" the voice quivered.

"Yes, yes. I'm well aware of your situation, but you are being well compensated for it, are you not? Be creative, or better yet use some initiative. I'm certain most of your people are _replaceable_…"

"What are you suggesting?" The voice replied in horror.

"I leave that to you to decide. Now do I need to make myself any clearer? Have the tests been a success or not?" The figure snapped at the mouth piece.

"It depends on your definition of success. Your copies of Hamilton's research are sketchy at best, but I have managed to make some headway. The reproduced cells have done better than expected, but as far as the accelerated growth is concerned… The process is unstable. Once the subject reaches maturation, well apoptosis accelerates along with growth, so the subject deteriorates rapidly. I can give a wonderful sample of the Junior model, but Senior has been put on hold…"

The man scowled with displeasure, "That is disappointing. What about neurological replication?"

The voice took a moment before answering, knowing he was in a dangerous position with or without his next piece of information.

"As I said when you contacted me, it's not specifically my area of expertise, but even it is was, I'd wager than what your asking for is virtually impossible. As yet I haven't had access to the equipment needed to run the scans, and without previous neurological mapping to compare it to, I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility. From what I can see, Hamilton's success was casual, not genetic. I doubt the fully matured subjects would survive long enough to even give a clear reading either."

It was a moment before the figure answered again, "… I am not happy. I was assured you could give me results. If the situation does not improve dramatically, I may be forced to seek out alternative means, and you of course understand what would mean for you…"

"No! I'm trying, really I am! It's just taking time. You have to realise, this kind of research it years ahead of it's time. If I can't figure this out, I can guarantee no one else on the planet can either. Just give me one more chance!" The voice begged.

"You have one week. I expect far more promising news by then. Goodnight."

The man hung up the phone, cutting short the panic stricken spluttering on the other end. He growled in aggravation and slouch uncharacteristically in his chair. Hand to his forehead, he sighed.

"A successful subject is paramount to the plan. There must be someway of utilizing the formula, but how? There must be a missing component or stage in the process, but where?"

At hearing the faintest of shuffles, the man spun round with a pistol already trained on the intruder. It was impossible to enter or exit this office without his knowledge, thus he already knew this stranger was not to be underestimated.

The intruder, with brown hair and strange clothes, stepped into the dim light surrounding the desk, grinning manically. He held his hands up in mock surrender and regarded the man before him.

"Not _where_, Nigel…" Tempus took another step forward, "but _when_?"

Nigel St John, with schooled features, lowered the gun and leaned forward in curiosity.

* * *

Laura and Wells were stood in the middle of the front yard of the Fielding's family home. The signs of dusk were beginning to touch the sky and Laura was anxious to be rid of this particular annoyance. 

"Alright old man, so where's this fabled time machine of yours?" Her impatience was made even more obvious by her pose. Hips to the side and arms crossed over her chest, she has the potential of being a fierce and imposing woman someday.

"Well it's more of a time _device_ actually. I decided to upgrade after some embarrassing incidents with my previous machine!" Wells chuckled to himself.

Laura rolled her eyes quite obviously now.

"Yes quite, well here goes!" He piped.

From the remote in his hand, only slightly bigger than her own cell phone, Laura saw flashing lights, blinking colours and a strange warping effect in the surrounding air. From it grew what appeared to be some kind of window pulsing and shimmering in the waning light. The window seemed to reach a point of stability and palpitated in rhythm before the girl and the Time Traveler.

She had to hand it to him, if this was a hoax; it was a damn good hallucination. Laura edged forward and reached out to test the surface. At a second thought she backed off cautiously.

"Don't worry my dear it's perfectly safe. Though I do urge haste, as it does not do to leave these windows open for too long…" Wells assured her.

Pulling her features into what she hoped was a defiant and determined looked, Laura charged through the window, swiftly followed by Wells.

* * *

**My goodness, we finally left Laura's bedroom! Lol! And I promise, we will find out where Laura comes from in the next chapter (so long as I don't get distracted by exposition again... :S)**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**XJaxX**


	5. Revelations

**4 MONTHS??? That is just cruel, even for me. I'm sorry I haven't updated as of late but things sort of knocked me out of my rythme. First finishing assignments, then moving out of Halls, redecorating my room, a wedding, a funeral, a new baby in the family, and I've been asked to be a Godmother since my last update (_"You must respect the family"_). Suffice to say my Goddaughter will have to learn to love my Superman obsession.**

**But excuses aside, I also have more of a game plan than I did when I first started this fic, so things may actually start to get organised... _may_. I'd also noticed whilst reading back on previous chapters, that there is the occasional typo, and though my writing isn't normally too bad I don't have a beta, so if there is any glaring mistakes, please don't hesitate to mention it, especially if the sentence thus makes absolutely no sense to you.**

**But finally, chapter 5!**

* * *

Walking through the portal had felt odd to say the least. Though her footing was level on both sides of the window, Laura could not mistake the momentary wobble in her perception as she crossed over the plane. She was shortly followed by Wells, who still held the device securely in his hand. 

Laura looked around her to find herself in exactly the same spot as she had been a moment before, but with one vital difference. Where before the touch of evening had been falling, now it was quite clearly early morning on this suburban street. Her mother's car was still parked on the drive, the neighbours' dog was barking just as it had this morning and a newspaper lay on the porch by the front door, having just been delivered by the paper boy.

Other minute details register in Laura's mind as she took in her surroundings. She couldn't help the glazed look of astonishment on her face. Despite the impossibility of such a reality, it was still a damn good hoax.

The gentleman beside her couldn't help a little satisfied chuckle. Laura ignored Wells and took the newspaper from its place by the door. Looking over it, it was indeed the morning edition of today's date. Again she was appraised by the amused eyes of the writer.

"This doesn't prove anything," Laura replied, waving the edition agitatedly in front of his nose, "Anyone could have planted this here. How do I know you didn't just knock me out for twelve hours and stick this here to –?"

Laura's wild musings were unceremoniously cut off by the small man tackling her into the garden hedge. Scrabbling through the overgrown shrubbery, Laura spluttered indignantly at Wells until he hurriedly held a finger to his lips and pointed in the direction of the porch.

Laura fell silent but glared mercilessly at Wells.

She was about to retort at his stranger than usual behaviour but was distracted by a young woman bursting forth from the front door of the house.

"Bye Mom!" the young woman called over her shoulder.

Laura watched in bewilderment as a girl of the same age, same build, same height and same appearance as herself, ran passed the hedge, none the wiser to the two occupants hidden within. She then watched with a pang of familiarity as the girl stubbed her toe on the same uneven paving stone that Laura herself had stubbed her own toe on that very morning.

Laura faced the writer once more with jaw hanging wide. She could only manage to utter one thing.

"No way!"

* * *

Nigel St John lowered the weapon with a curious gleam in his eyes. He took a single appraising look of the strange man standing in the middle of his office. 

"Am I to assume you are not – how should I say it? – a _local_?" Nigel demurred.

Tempus laughed in his typical brazen fashion.

"Well I certainly don't come from Metropolis." He replied.

"Then perhaps I could be bold enough to ask what your presence in my office would pertain to?" Nigel again enquired.

Tempus took a skip towards St John's desk and leant back casually. "Why am I here? Well the same reason you are Nige; to resurrect my favourite person of the twenty-first century, Lex Luthor; and then destroy Superman of course! The only difference being is that _I_ can help _you_ do it…"

* * *

Laura was pretty sure this was the closest she had ever come to hyperventilating before. She had always been a fairly stable child, rarely ever fazed, but this was the limit. She turned to the Time Traveller spluttering. 

"But she… me… couldn't be… the toe! This is _impossible_!" She said, shaking her head incredulously. Waving her arms hysterically, Laura finally sunk to the grass in defeat.

"Sure! Fine! Time travel, hey why not? Next I could maybe bench press a few cars while I'm at it! I mean my god this is insane!"

Wells knelt down beside her and answered kindly, "Yes but I am here to help through all of this confusion…"

"Help me? There _was_ no confusion until you got here! The only confusion thus far is the posthumous advice I'm receiving from a writer from Edwardian England!" Laura continued to babble.

The pair waited for Laura's mother to leave the house _again_ that morning, and retreated to the privacy of Laura's room. After copious glasses of water (and desperately wishing for something stronger) Laura had at least calmed down to the point where she thought she might not inadvertently snap anymore door handles.

"So let me get this straight, you really are H.G. Wells, I somehow _may_ posses super powers like Superman, and you came to the twenty-first century to save Utopia, which as far as I know doesn't even exist. That about sums it up right?" Laura began in exasperation.

"Yes." Wells nodded.

"And how exactly does all of this fit together?"

"Well, because you are a product of Utopia." Wells replied.

"Again, not seeing how you're connecting the dots here…" Laura arched an eyebrow to emphasise her point.

"Perhaps I should explain from the beginning," the Time Traveller sighed, "After I built my time machine I was able to witness remarkable events throughout the history of mankind. Perhaps the great sight I witness was far into the future where I came upon mankind's great dream: Utopia…" The writer seemed to have a joyous gleam in his eye just at the thought of it.

"Being that I was in the future, I then discovered the legacy of Superman. I was especially curious to discover that it was Superman's very descendants who founded Utopia. Of course I was very curious to learn more about this remarkable man. Unfortunately it was because of my carelessness that the Man of Steel almost ceased to be. But with my time machine I was able to set things right, and since then have tried to ensure anymore attempts to destroy Superman or Utopia were averted."

Laura nodded with a semi-glazed look to her face. She had a feeling things hadn't even begun to get complicated.

"As of this moment Superman in our present time is beginning his own family, thus the roots of Utopia – "

"Wait! Superman has a _wife_?" Laura just couldn't imagine the Man of Steel actively seeking children outside of marriage; but then she wasn't finding _any _of it easy to imagine.

"Well yes of course! He's married to Lois Lane!"

"_Lois_ _Lane?_" but Wells staved off Laura stuttering and continued with his explanation.

"Yes, and many of their descendants live in Utopia. You yourself are one of those descendants, and you were born not _here_ and _now_, but many years into the future in Utopia."

"I was born in the _future_?" Laura snorted.

"Yes." Wells nodded.

"Then how on earth did I end up here?"

"I brought you here in my time machine, sixteen years ago to be exact; and here you are, just in time to see the events that will one day shape Utopia!" The Time Traveller replied with great enthusiasm.

"But why did you bring me here? Didn't my parents want me?"

* * *

**Yes, for all of us fangirls out there in denial, Superman _is_ married, and it is unfortunately _not_ to us. So we now know the _where_, the _when_ and the _how_, but we're still waiting for the _who_ and the _why_.**

**P.S. I am also being intentionally vague as to when abouts Utopia exists. It's just kind of difficult to judge something like that with any clarity. Hopefully further in the fic I may be inspired with a more specific timeline... But it's ciao for now!**

**_XJaxX_**


	6. Explanation

**I live!!!!! Sorry, I had half a chapter since August, but I only just figured out how to finish it (I'm try to keep the chapters generally about the same length for now). **

**Again, we're only just crawling towards the core of the story, but we will get there. I know if I was reading this I'd being going "Get to the powers already woman!" But yes, you will finally have some answers to Laura's past.**

**So on with chapter 6!**

* * *

"Not want you?" Wells exclaimed aghast, "My dear, no! That wasn't the case at all. Dear child, your parents gave you up in order to _save_ you!"

Laura looked at the Time Traveller sceptically.

"If I was born in this so called Utopia, what was the point of sending me here?" Laura replied coldly.

"Ah, my dear, well I'm afraid even Utopia is not entirely perfect. Most unfortunate events surround your removal from Utopia. You were in fact already an orphan before I took you from the era of your birth." Wells explained.

Looking into the anxious and almost pleading eyes of the young woman before him, Wells felt a softness rise in his chest he had not felt since he had first held her as a child; a child that had just been torn from her family and left all alone in the universe. Again he took pity on this child and took her hand reassuringly.

Laura tried to stave of the desperation she felt in her heart. She had never before cared about her biological parents. Never before had it crossed her mind to seek them out, and never had she loved anyone but her adopted family. Yet within her, not knowing was tearing at her heart piece by piece as this strange man told her more and more about her past; or _future_ as it seemed.

"Miss Fielding, let me assure now that your mother and father loved you dearly. You were born into a warm and caring family that would have done anything for you. That is to say your happiness was more precious to them than their own.

"Your father was of kryptonian descent, and as such used his powers to assist in emergencies much like Superman does now. It was after four years of marriage with your mother that you were born, also inheriting the powers of a kryptonian. Tragically within your first year of life, your father died in an accident involving kryptonite. Two other kryptonian-human hybrids died that day as well, and three were seriously injured, but yours was the only family with young children affected by this catastrophe.

"Your mother had been caring for you since then, but was soon to discover she was suffering from a wasting disease. Despite the best efforts of medical science, she knew she would not be there to care for you.

"In the event of your father's death, he had given your mother strict instructions should she ever need help. In doing so she was able to contact _me_. I arrived in time to listen to your mother's last requests. You see, I could not simply leave you in an orphanage back in Utopia. Rare as it was that a kryptonian hybrid was left in such care, it was often feared that those children would be prized above others. She asked that I take you somewhere safe, somewhere you would be loved no matter of your ancestry.

"So I decided to keep your ancestry secret and brought you to Edge City. I found suitable parents to adopt you, and here you are today. And I must say your parents have done a wonderful job!"

Laura involuntarily blushed at the compliment and gave herself a mental shake. She needed to stay focused. There were still other questions to be asked.

"But why sixteen years ago? Why not now? Superman's starting a family of his own; you said so yourself. What's one more super-kid to look after in the grand scheme of things?" The girl asked.

"That's my point exactly you see!" Wells replied with glee, "He is Superman after all, and how is a man to juggle the duties of fatherhood _and_ Man of Steel? Laura my dear, you are the only other person on this earth in possession of superpowers, and very soon Superman is going to need your help!"

* * *

"You're certain this technology of yours will bring back Lex?" Nigel St John asked the Time Traveller. The hall they walked through was dark and cloistering, but Nigel's voice echoed faintly around the pair. 

Tempus turned to Nigel, appearing mockingly affronted. "Why Nige, how could you ask such a thing? Don't you trust me?" He simpered.

Nigel St John rolled his eyes in annoyance, but quickly schooled his features. The man's sardonic attitude was starting to where thin, but once Lex was back he could be _dealt_ _with_ promptly. For the moment though Nigel feared this _Tempus_ possessed the only means with which to recreate the greatest mind in history.

Nigel would bide his time.

"Nigel, Nigel, Nigel. You and I have the same goal here. Bring back Lex Luthor. With Luthor you can help rebuild his empire. But to do that you need to get rid of Superman, which is what _I_ want, and trust me Lex will be _very _interested in what I want to say…"

They came to the end of the corridor to large steal doors. A single swipe of St John's card and the immense doors opened. Lights consecutively came alive and the two men walked into a large but sparsely equipped laboratory.

Nigel St John turned to Tempus smugly and said, "Well, lets see this miracle device then. You said you had no need of any other facilities."

"And indeed I don't dear Nige," and taking a small device from his pocket, Tempus cheered, "Voila!"

A single push of a button and there was a tremendous pulse of light and energy. In the centre of the laboratory all manner of machinery had appeared. Shining chrome and gleaming screens made up the strange machine. Looking at it, Nigel could believe the man came from the future. Never in his life had he seen anything that looked so high-tech.

And of course Tempus was the only one who even had a clue as to how it worked.

"This of course is only the basic set up. It'll on be a matter of weeks before it's operational –"

"_Weeks?_" Nigel responded.

"Two weeks max Nige; this is very delicate equipment after all. Once it is charged up and configurations have been made we'll be able to make our own army of 'Elvis's if we want to!"

Nigel St John did not appear amused but nodded none the less.

"Unfortunately, due to restriction people seem to put on stealing in Utopia, I was unable to acquire a more sophisticated device. We will require some assistance before everything is ready…" Tempus drawled on.

"Assistance?" Nigel asked sceptically.

"Yes, well you see the problem is Nige, all this," the Traveller waved his arm across the equipment, "is all used to regenerate, not re_create_. Once we have the subject, it's going to be nothing but an empty shell, but I believe I know how to get Lexy baby back on form!"

* * *

**"Lexy baby"... I can't believe I let Tempus say that... **

**There we have it. Characters are on the move. Sorry there hasn't been much of Lois & Clark yet. We will get to them, you can have so much fun writing expectant parents, especially those of the super variety, lol!**

_**XJaxX**_


	7. Development

**Hi loyal readers! Once again it has been a slow update, but if it's any consolation, it's because most of my time is consumed by Uni work, my novel and reading fanfiction. Good fanfiction mind you, and probably better than the drivel I'm forcing you to read here.**

**But here's chapter 7 anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Somehow she knew, by the next morning she was going to look back on this and realise that she had made a complete and utter mistake. Screwing in the new door knob to her bedroom door, Laura knew she had temporarily been blasted into the twilight zone and come next Tuesday she was going wake up to find she had been admitted to Arkham Asylum for severe delusions. But unfortunately for the minute she still had a nineteenth century writer standing next to her, occasionally passing a screw to her waiting hand.

"There, it's finished. Fortunately none of the wood was damaged too bad," Laura smiled in relief, "Dad won't even realised it's been replaced. Thanks for the new door knob by the way."

"Not a problem dear child," the little English man bobbed.

"I still can't believe you had an exact match. But then I guess Time Machines come in handy for stuff like that," Laura remarked.

The young woman rose from her knelt position and regarded the writer once more.

"I have to say, this is still way too much for me to take in, but I don't know how else you would know all you do. It's still hard to believe, and I have no idea what I'm going to tell my parents…"

"Nothing."

Laura stared at him in shock. "Nothing?"

"Your parents must never know of your true origins, at least not for now. To have any idea who you are could put them in terrible danger!"

"But they're my parents! I can't just lie to them. The door was one thing, but what if I burn a hole through the wall? How do I explain all these powers you think are going to manifest?" Laura exclaimed.

"I'm afraid any manifestation of your abilities must remain a complete secret. You can't make any overt displays of your powers, especially without a disguise to protect your identity. Imagine what you could be forced to do if your family's lives were threatened?"

A surreal image came to Laura's mind of herself blasting through a bank wall, taking their entire safe with her. It was even worse than that dream of being interviewed at _The_ _Daily_ _Planet_, only to realise she was butt-naked.

"Imagine further still if you were to face Superman in this dreadful situation…"

The horrible image of herself with the safe full of gold again came to mind, but now Superman was there too, ready to send her rocketing into the stratosphere. This image became a further source of future therapy when she once again realised she was butt-naked.

"I can't face Superman naked!"

Wells blinked.

After an awkward pause Laura coughed, "Never mind. Erh… so suppose I was to go along with this story of yours; what exactly does that mean for me? What am _I _supposed to do about any of this?"

"Well first things first, we need to enter you into that internship program…"

* * *

"Clark, I am telling you there is something odd about these break ins. You don't hit a dozen different labs for the latest in cloning technology and then steal psychological profiles from a psychology unit. Who would want to send a _clone_ to therapy?" Lois exclaimed.

Clark surreptitiously steered his wife through the bull pen as she hypothesised, completely oblivious to her surroundings. Even innocent pot plants, with wilting being their most malicious offence, were secretly pushed aside with a gust of super-breath, though they barely came within inches of Lois' vicinity in the first place. Loose leaf paper scattered on the floor or waste paper baskets slightly outside the area of their allocated desk were given stern appraisal by the usually mild mannered reporter.

"Did you ever consider," he looped round and had a chair pulled out ready for his wife, "that these robberies weren't related?"

Lois gave him a withering glace. Booting up her computer Lois replied, "Of course they're related. And stop doing that. I am not an invalid, and inanimate objects have no animosity towards me whatsoever!"

Clark cringed with chagrin. Apparently his wife knew him too well not to notice how overly protective he had become in the last month.

"I'm just being careful honey. I don't want to think what a knock or fall could do to you and the baby…"

"Perry put you up to this didn't he?" Lois glared, but softened at the concerned look on Clark's face, "Oh Clark come on. Think about whose child this is. I doubt so much as a nuclear fall out would faze this baby, let alone a little bump!"

"That's just it Lois. This _is_ our child. We don't know how stable this pregnancy will be. Doctor Klein didn't even think it was possible. What if this mix of genetics makes our child… _fragile_?"

The intense and sincere look on his face was so endearing and Lois smiled weakly. She took her husbands face in her hands and kissed him sweetly. She was about to reply with a reassurance but was interrupted by Jimmy's sudden arrival.

"Hey Lois, I looked into the patient files of that psychiatric ward. Has a pretty tight systems but I think I know why. One of their psychiatrists, a Doctor Nicholas Roberts, had a very high profile case."

"Who?" Lois asked, instantly focused on her story once more.

"Lex Luthor."

Lois didn't think that name would have the same profound effect as her morning sickness did, and yet she found herself fighting the urge to retch. The very sound of his name obviously severely disagreed with her system.

"He was Luthor's psychiatrist?" Clark asked, with a frown forming at the thought of the man.

"Yes, just before Luthor was sent to prison. But check this out; something the good doctor probably didn't want anyone else to know." Jimmy replied and threw a file onto the desk.

"What is it?" Lois and Clark both queried.

"Psychological profiling and neurological analysis is a big part of Roberts' research, but he's taken it way further. Look at these charts. It's almost like he's created a neurological map of his patient's psyche, including Luthor's. He's practically made a recording of the human mind!"

"You mean he digitalised a person's thoughts?" Lois supplied.

"More than that!" Jimmy answered, "It's like he catalogued the very essence of the patient's mind. With this kind of mapping, he could use it to manipulate the way other people's brains think, change their reactions, their desires, even their memories. He could imprint one person's mind onto someone else's brain!"

Lois and Clark looked at each other in astonishment.

"Jimmy, this is serious. How far did Roberts get in his research?" Clark responded.

"Heh, that's the thing. Once the facility realised Roberts wanted to take it a stage further and actually recreate some of his patients' psychological profiles, they shut the project down. But all his notes remained. At least they did until that break in two nights ago …"

Clark frowned in consternation, "Along with an extensive and highly dangerous profile on Lex Luthor."

**The plot thickens. Then over boils. Then burns to the bottom of the pan. Hopefully you haven't gotten bored of my little tale yet. We still have a bit to go before we get to the meat of the story, but thanks for keeping with me so far! Sends out love and cookies**

_**XJaxX**_


	8. Anxiety

**I'm terrible! So sorry for the delay. What has it been? Another year? I don't know, but I'm here now and I finally got back into the swing of things. I just finished my degree and waiting for my results now. Unfortunately I have the horror of real life to deal with now, and you would not believe how difficult it is to get a simple job around here. I know animation isn't exactly a florishing career path in the dung heap of England, but I can't seem to get _anything_. That's what I get for leaving the county for three years.**

**Fortunately parental units are being very understanding, and allowing me to sleep in a cupboard atm (seriously my old room is _tiny_) which is why I finally have time to write for you good people!**

**Enough of my boring reality, on with chapter 8! (Wow, I'm actually suprised I've gotten this far...)**

* * *

Laura stared at the innocuous piece paper. When she first picked up the small sheet it had seemed harmless enough, but now its words weighed heavily in her mind. A dream so close she could smell the news print, and yet the stakes had gone up inconceivably, if her newest companion was to be believed.

"I don't know how to do this…" Laura moaned.

Her head slowly sank towards her desk in desolation. Laura's snapped her head back up within inches of impact. There's was no telling what damage a head butt might do at this stage. Since the incident with the door handle, Laura had become mindful of her strength, even to the point of paranoia. Simple tasks had become feats of anxiety, uncertain of her own ability to maintain control. At any moment Laura was likely to burst forth unknowingly with super human strength.

And she couldn't help but blame H. G. Wells.

If that time traveller had never shown up, she wouldn't have been in the situation she was in now! Or at least that's what she liked to tell herself. For the time being the gentleman had made himself scarce, particularly when Laura became rather distressed in regards to lying to her parents. The little man quickly disappeared with the promise to help her hone her new abilities and to instruct her in her article for _The_ _Daily Planet_ internship.

He had yet to appear, and Laura was beginning to hope it was all just a bad dream.

She ripped out another useless page of drivel in her note book and screwed it up into a ball. She growled in frustration as the ball went soaring into her wastepaper basket, adding to a growing pile within.

There was a quiet knock, and her father poked his head in.

"Dad…"

"Having trouble pumpkin?" He chuckled quietly.

"Do I look like a vegetable?" Laura replied darkly.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', and technically they're a fruit," Brian answered and drew closer to put a reassuring arm around his daughter, "They have seeds. Come on, what's the matter? Is it that internship that's worrying you?"

What could she say? _Yes! I also happen to be an alien hybrid from the future, who could accidentally crush your hand on a whim, with the destiny of 'Utopia' on my shoulders and a dozen other secrets you would not believe!_

"I guess…" Laura shrugged, fighting the lump in her throat.

Noticing the despondent tone in her voice, Brian looked at her in concern, "Sweetheart you really seem down about this. I think you're worrying too much about all this. I know _The Daily Planet_ has been a dream of yours for sometime now, but you don't wanna let all this stress make you ill…"

Laura suppressed the urge to laugh and disguised the twitch as a move to hold her father closer.

"You're still so young Laura. I know it's a fast paced world and your mother and I don't want you to waste your life, but there will be other opportunities in the future. Just try your best. Even if you don't get this internship, it's doesn't mean you aren't meant for something special. Newspapers aren't what they used to be you know; you can change the world in all sorts of ways…" Brian counselled.

"But dad, writing is the only thing I've _ever_ wanted to do! I want to put everything I have into it! I don't want people telling me what I can and cannot do with my life!" Laura exclaimed.

"I'm afraid that's one of the sacrifices you make when you grow up. You don't always get to do what you want."

"I know dad, I didn't mean it like that…"

"You want your choices to be the right ones the first time round, eh?" Brian replied.

Laura nodded, surprised at his perceptiveness.

"Again, there's no guarantee. People make mistakes all the time, you just got to try your best and learn from your mistakes. There's no gain without risk."

"Thanks dad…" Laura conceded and extricated herself from her father's hold. He took the hint and left the room.

Laura watched his retreating back and sighed, once again catching herself before she made any involuntary impact with any of her furniture. She glanced at her notepad, and despite its name, saw nothing note worthy upon it.

"No gain without risk? I don't even know what I'm trying to gain anymore..."

Casting her stationary aside Laura rose from her desk chair and marched towards the door. The house was beginning to feel claustrophobic. So far nothing had been inexplicably demolished by Laura's hand, but the thought was there. Laura didn't know what she could do, but the risk was there and she couldn't stand tip-toeing around her family for a minute longer.

It was safer to relax outside. Perhaps the fresh air would clear her head and help inspire her article.

Laura slipped out unnoticed. Sneaking around was coming too easy to her, and neither parent noticed her leaving the house. The park was empty as the sun was just dusting the horizon. The burnt orange, glazed the trees and the glow of cerise touched upon the skyline.

Laura took a deep cleansing breath, throwing her arms wide open as though she could grasp all the tranquillity before her and stuff it into her chest. There's was nothing out here she could break, and no mysterious strangers to assault her grasp on reality.

That's when a man silently appeared from the shadows.

*

Nigel St John seemed completely unperturbed by the eerie, Frankensteinesque surroundings of the laboratory. Huge cylinders of fluid lined the room. Most were occupied by various mutated forms, looking like horrific cadavers. Some were almost fully formed into a handsome human form; but many were malformed hideously or scarcely formed at all, nothing more than a cystic mass of flesh with the bud of limbs protruding from them.

Tempus on the other had made a disturbingly upbeat contrast to the macabre equipment constructed around them. Panel upon panel showed the vitals of most of the experiments, flashing harsh lights upon the occupants of the room. The occasional bleep sounded above Tempus' gleeful ramblings.

"My patience wears thin Tempus. Are any of these worthless lumps of flesh even close to bringing back Lex?" Nigel sneered.

"Of course Nige!" Nigel St John barely suppressed the cringe of frustration at the nick-name Tempus seemed to have become fond of, "In fact pod thirteen has almost reached full maturation."

"Then we can awaken the subject immediately." Nigel proclaimed forcefully.

"Certainly!" Tempus remarked casually, "If you want a living, breathing sock puppet."

Nigel St John responded with a cool glance. His patience was definitely wearing thin with this imbecile. The sooner Lex was back, the better.

"You have the psychological profile on hand, what other complications have you not informed me of?" Nigel replied dryly, trying to restrain a sneer from distorting his features.

"Oh don't be difficult. Yes we have the profile, but there is one last matter we need to address, and that I believe is where Dr Roberts will be of use to us."

* * *

**I hadn't actually intend a cliffy for this chapter but it sort of wrote itself, and presented me with a good way for Laura to resolve her intial anxiety concerning her impending super powers.**

**No Clois in this chapter I'm afraid. Cookies and love for all, especially to those who thought I had forgotten about them and this story! And much love and thanks to my reviewers who are probably geriatric by now...**

_**XJaxX**_

**_EDIT: Here I thought I'd found all the typos last night, only to find a cluster more this morning!_**


	9. Overpowered

**Phew, I'm back again. And thank you to those who hadn't given up on me. On that note though, I will reiterate - _I am not a professional, I do not have a schedule, this is my first full fan fic and I have responsibilities in real life that take precedence over this story_. With that in mind, please take note that demands for more regular updates are in fact more likely to deter me. On the other hand, a simply comment on what you actually think of the story will make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and more inclined to write. And so far 99% of you guys out there have made me feel _super _about writing this fic (sorry, couldn't resist), and that other comments were not meant to be taken as though read at gun point.**

**It's an organic process, and I am simply not skilled enough to guarantee a chapter on this on a regular basis. Sorry, but I made that point clear at the very beginning.**

**WARNING, this chapter gets a little dark. I don't think it deserves a change in rating, but it's definately not a happy place to be. It's not graphic, but if you'd like to skip the nasty bits, I suggest skipping until you're about 15 paragraphs from the end of the chapter (most of which is speech anyway).**

* * *

Blood red dusted along the horizon as the day finally died. Laura dropped her arms, her inner turmoil tempered only for the moment. She released her breathe hoping to dispel the tension held tightly within her. With a slump of her shoulders, she stepped back from the sight before her.

And froze at the touch of a breath crawling across her right shoulder.

"Hello sweetheart…" a croaking voice whispered huskily.

A sweaty palm landed softly on her arm but Laura felt a firm grip behind it. Immediately she was spun around and looked up into the face of the stranger. Pale, insipid eyes stared down at her, so intense they seemed to bulge from there sockets. His grizzled hair hung lankly around a baleful face, and yellowed crooked teeth grinned down hungrily.

Laura could smell the trace of cigarettes and alcohol on his stale breathe. She flinched away, her gorge rising from the stench. A sharp tug from his vice like grip forced Laura to face his twisted appearance once more.

"A pretty girl in the dark? S'not normal…" He hissed, "Perhaps, you're not normals. Perhaps we needs to make sure you're even really a pretty girl. Are you one of them pretty girls?"

Laura stared dumbly at him until another shake drew out her voice.

"Yes! Yes I'm a girl. Let go of me!" She yelled.

"You could lie! Lets see the pretty girl. I know what's to be done with pretty girls. You are a pretty girl?" The deranged man repeated.

"Get off!" Laura cried.

His wiry hand quickly grasped Laura's chin, turning her face from side to side, making his own appraisal of her femininity.

"She does looks like a pretty girl. We can make sure she's a pretty girl, but she wouldn't be a pretty girl after that…"

Laura's eyes widened as an inkling of his meaning sunk in. She immediately began to struggle more forcefully against his hold. Her arms felt useless, her mind muddled in panic.

Her attempts clearly were noticeable though and the stranger's face darkened into a deep scowl. His jagged teeth disappeared as his lips dipped down in a furious expression.

"Oh no sweetheart. If you are a pretty girl, you belong to me now!" He growled in his wispy sneer.

Both of his gnarled hands gripped Laura's wrists with an inane ferocity. Spinning her in rage, the man forced Laura to back up, taking sharp lengthy strides further into the trees. She felt the bark against her back and tried drawing her nose away from the stench of his acrid breathe.

Her eyes held closed tightly, Laura tried to focus everything she had on pushing the man away. His presence sickened her, and all she could feel was his form looming over her. Everything she knew was blocked from her mind at the horror of her current situation.

Laura nearly felt herself retch as his tongue slowly tracked along her jaw bone. She felt the intake of air as the man breathed in her scent. Then she heard his taunt in his sadistic wheeze, "You're mine now. I'll make you woman, pretty girl…"

Laura snapped her eyes open. Jerking her arms suddenly she caused the man to stumble. In his dazed moment Laura head butted him as forcefully as she dared. The stranger staggered back vaguely surprised. He cautiously touched his fingers to his nose, coming away with blood on his palm.

In her moment of release, Laura shook herself and made an attempt to run. Apparently she was not fast enough.

The same grim hand grasped upon her wrist and yanked her back. Laura staggered from the force and tripped to the ground. She shrieked in shock and looked up to find the man's pupils retracted in fury.

A sudden sharp slap to the face made Laura's head snap back. Then the man was there in fury, making a frenzied attempt to rip off her clothes. Laura screamed in horror, but the stranger slapped her again. Without even a look towards her, the man kept his hands scrabbling for purchase.

The screaming suddenly died, and the stranger didn't have chance to react. Laura's leg drew back and the man felt like he had just been kicked by a horse. He was not deterred. The stranger immediately tried to cover Laura again, but the attempt was in vain.

Laura, standing again, ripped out of his grasp. He charged forward, a hiss escaping his gnarled lips. When he grasped upon Laura's upper arms again, she shook free once more and threw her fist into his face.

They both heard the crunch as his nose collapsed. But before he could retaliate the other fist was thrust into his stomach. Laura choked from the effort and cried out in fury.

"Get away!"

He staggered forward, an insane gleam in his eye, even as blood stained his face.

"Leave me alone!" Laura cried.

All Laura could remember was constantly punching and hitting, taking every chance she had to keep him from grabbing hold of her again. Then to keep him from reaching for her. Then to keep him from stepping towards her. Then to keep him from standing up.

Laura's fist paused as she realised the stranger wasn't even trying to stand up anymore. He didn't try to move at all.

Laura gasped and stumbled back. She then saw the blood glistening off the hand she had brought so close to her face. She stared at the crimson that spattered across her knuckles.

Her eyes watered as the raging emotions overwhelmed her. _What had she done?_

The stranger coughed wetly and opened the only eye that wasn't swelling shut.

"Pretty…" he coughed and dribbled again, "pretty… girl…"

Then Laura collapsed into sobs.

It seemed like hours, yet it was only a few moments later when a distraught H. G. Wells came running from beyond the trees. His face, panic-stricken and red from excursion, scanned the area in desperation.

"LAURA! LAURA! Answer me! Oh heavens child where are you?" the Englishman wailed unashamed.

He froze at the sight of the crumpled form, but was relieved to realise it was not Laura unconscious on the ground. That's when he found the girl weeping uncontrollable beneath the bows of the tree. He rushed to her side in an instant, relief washing over him.

"Laura child! Thanks heavens, tell me you're alright!" Herbert begged.

Blood shot eyes looked up at the man, her face contorted in pain and guilt.

"He – he – I thought, he was going to – But I – I nearly killed him!" Laura sobbed.

Wells looked at her blood soaked knuckles and sucked in a sharp breathe. He grasped the girl's hands earnestly.

"Laura, please, _are you alright?_" Wells pleaded again.

Laura took her hands back and felt herself shaking. She looked at the rumpled form of her attacker and felt the acid in her throat. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to tear her own hair out. She wanted to run herself threw – for what he had done, and for _she_ had done.

"I didn't let him touch me," she assured the short man at her side. Without taking her eyes off the unconscious man, she continued in a dead tone, "He didn't touch me and I beat him to a bloody pulp. I smashed in his face and ribs. I beat him to the ground; I broke his nose and probably his jaw too… I didn't stop hitting him until he stopped moving. I could have killed him."

Wells looked down at her bloody hands again and glanced at the putrid heap a few feet away.

"You could have," Wells agreed. He then grasped Laura's slick hands firmly in his own and pulled her eyes towards his own, "but you didn't, and I won't ever believe that you would."

"_What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to control this?_" the girl choked.

"Together, I promise. I'll help you child. Will you let me help you?" Wells pleaded earnestly.

Laura barely nodded her head. Beneath her tortured sobbing, Wells heard her reply, "Yes."

She cried on his shoulders until the moon had long passed its zenith.

* * *

**This has been harsh on Laura I know, but I figured it was import for Laura to realise what she really could do if she lost control. But I think it was also necessary for Wells to realise how childlike she really still is. This is the start of real trust between Wells and Laura.**

**Thank you again to my readers, old and new. Cookies for everyone, and a stiff drink for those that read the whole thing.**

**_XJaxX_**


	10. Sneaky

**HELLO!!!!**

**I'm still unemployed, which really sucks. Stupid credit crunch. All I've been offered so far is a 4 hour contract at minimum wage, which would barely cover my transportation costs i the first place. Grr, just needed to let that out. **

**Thank goodness my parents are so understanding. But at least I had my results the other day! I got a 2.1 for my degree! Which is great, but I was a little dissappointed. After getting a first for my dissertation I was hoping to get a first over all. It was a long shot as my other tutor is a bit of a d***, but 2.1 is still a great mark! So I am officially educated! I have letters to my name. I'm qualified to doodle.**

**Anyway, I hope my previous AN wasn't too harsh on you guys. It really has been lovely to read your comments, and I know it's not always easy to leave comment because sometimes you just can't find anything to say. So enjoy Chapter 10!**

* * *

Lois pulled up to the curb and shifted into park. Clark glanced over with a slight look of consternation.

"Honey, you couldn't have let me drive?" He remarked.

"Clark, I do _not_ need a chauffeur!" Lois growled in response.

"I know you don't! But eventually you're going to have to think about taking it easy." Clark reiterated.

"I'm driving a _car_. What about that is _not _taking it easy?" Lois responded vehemently, fanning her hands out for emphasis.

"The way _you_ drive?" Clark was quick to reply, "Come on, would it be so difficult to let me drive?"

"I was the one that got the directions from Dr. Roberts' old secretary. It makes far more sense to just let me drive rather than explaining it all to you. Is _that_ so difficult?" Lois explained, refusing to give Clark an inch.

Clark sighed in resignation, "I know it seems silly, but you are having a _baby_." He turned to Lois and clasped her hands reassuringly, "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. Driving the car is one thing, but eventually there'll be other things that you'll need me to do for you too. I'd rather do this now than wait. If you can't let me do this now, then we're going to have real problems when you're _really_ pregnant…"

"_Really_ pregnant? Am I not 'really' pregnant now then? Is this just the transition phase? Is this baby a phantom until I have to wear those ridiculous maternity pants with the infinite elastic waist? Am I only semi-pregnant until I'm waddling around like a beached whale? Is that what you're saying?" Lois railroaded ahead, leaving Clark completely bemused.

"Erh… no. You're definitely pregnant," Clark assured her. He took a glance down then met Lois' glare dead on. "And believe it or not, I can already see the changes in you. They're subtle and you normal pants still fit you, but to me you look _completely_ pregnant. But more importantly, you look like the mother of my child, and that's all that matters to me."

Lois paused, the frown on her face gradually dissipating. A weak smile touched her lips as she grabbed Clark by the lapels. A moment later she soundly kissed him on the mouth and felt his sigh of relief.

"You're smooth Kent," Lois whispered, desperately trying to hide the lump in her throat. She pulled the door open and began to climb out before Clark had a chance to move, "but you're still not going to be my chauffeur."

He followed her as they walked towards the apartment building. Whether Lois believed him or not, her gait had changed in the last month. The sway of her hips ahead of him was slightly wider and her steps a touched more cautious, and somehow Clark found this a thousand times more enticing.

"This was the last known address for Dr. Roberts before he was forced into early retirement by the facility. His secretary seemed to think he'd still be living here." Lois said, forcing Clark to pull his attention away from his appraisal of his wife's alluring legs.

"Retirement? What about the experiments he was doing? I thought he was fired."

"No, the evidence was circumstantial. They couldn't pull together a formal charge so eventually they convince Roberts to take early retirement." Lois explained.

"_Eventually_? So what happened between the project being shut down and Roberts taking retirement?" Clark wondered.

"According to his secretary, Roberts was on suspension. She said he wasn't seen much at the facility, except to supervise the handling of his research."

"I'm surprised they let him anywhere near his research." Clark remarked.

"Apparently the work was of such a sensitive and highly specialised nature that Roberts was the only one who could ensure its secure handling," Lois shrugged, "Personally I think they should have just destroyed all of his notes but-"

"But then the facility wouldn't be able to make any profit from the legitimate aspects of Roberts' research. So we're here because-"

"Because, if whoever stole those psychological profiles wanted to use them, Roberts would be the only one with any understanding of them." Lois concluded.

The doorman gave the reporting couple a wary glance, allowing them to ruminate on their lead. He didn't know if they definitely were reporters but their attire was a pretty good sign and he was pretty certain he could see the notepad poking out of a pocket.

"Excuse me, I'm hoping you could help us," Clark address the doorman, "We're trying to get in contact with Dr. Roberts. Could you tell us if he's still living here?"

"I'm afraid not sir." The doorman replied without preamble.

"Look surely you can at least let us know if he's in the building. We can arrange to meet with Dr. Roberts later…"

Lois could see the slight incline towards the negative in the doorman's expression.

"We're Lois Lane and Clark Kent, reporters for _The_ _Daily_ _Planet_. We need to ask Dr. Roberts a few questions about our investigation. It's really important that we get to Dr. Roberts now or else-"

The doorman seemed surprised to have the notorious reporters standing before him but he was quick to respond, "I'm sorry ma'am but I can not help you because Dr. Roberts has not been seen for the last three days. If I recall he was last seen leaving here at nine pm last Friday."

"_Ma'am_?" Lois growled.

"Thank you for your help. We'll let you know if we find anything on Dr. Roberts," Clark cut in, grasping Lois securely.

The doorman watched Clark lead Lois away, murmuring to her in a placating tone. All the doorman could hear in response was another incredulous utterance, "_Ma'am_?"

Lois briefly glanced over her shoulder in consternation.

"The nerve of that guy! '_Ma'am_' I ask you! Do I look like a 'ma'am' to you? A 'miss', a 'hey lady' maybe, but a 'ma'am'? Lois continued to growl.

"Lois, I sure it didn't mean anything…" Clark assured her.

"Yes it does! It means I am of a certain age! Do you know what it's like to be a woman looked at and considered of a certain age?!" Lois barked.

"Easy sweetie, no I don't, but then I'm not a woman." Clark conceded.

Lois paused and took a deep breath. She shook off the tension for a moment and brought herself back into investigation mode.

"Okay, Roberts was our only lead on why someone would want to steal those psychological profiles. He's not been home for three days, which means he's either left town, or he's been kidnapped." Lois summarised.

Clark nodded and concluded, "If he left town, it could mean he doesn't want to get involved with his old research again. But if he's been taken, it could mean he hasn't got a lot choice."

"Clark, check out his apartment," Lois did the swooping signal with her hand, "See if he's taken any clothes, his passport; anything to indicate he might have left of his own accord."

Clark nodded again and in a whoosh he was gone. Lois waited a few moments, still chewing over the facts out loud so that Clark kept up to date with her thought process. Occasionally she would come out with suggestions of other signs to look out for in the apartment, knowing that her husband was keeping track of her monologue even as he searched the building fifty feet above her.

Clark returned empty handed

"Nothing. The place has been swept clean. His clothes are gone, his books, no picture frames anywhere. The apartment is completely empty, and Dr. Roberts was not the one who cleared it out." Clark said, his concern evident.

"I think we can assume," Lois replied, "that Dr. Roberts did not leave of his own free will."

"And whoever took Dr. Roberts, is also responsible for these robberies."

They headed back to the parked car, Dr. Roberts disappearance heavy on their minds. At least heavy in Lois' mind until she realised Clark was climbing into the driver's seat. Her hand shot into her pocket and found it empty.

"You sneak!" Lois growled, "When did you steal my car keys?!"

* * *

**Clark you sneaky devil! If you can guess when Clark stole her keys, full marks to you because I haven't a clue when he did it. Super speed and all that is a useful thing.**

**And poor allusive Dr. Roberts. Seems everybody wants him atm. Here's hoping Lois and Clark can find him before he gets into real trouble..... Nah.**

**_XJaxX_**


End file.
